Bolgheri Wine Tours: Sassicaia, Ornellaia and the Tuscan Coast (2026)

Bolgheri is the corner of Tuscany where the wine rules were rewritten. On low hills just inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea, a handful of estates planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot where Sangiovese was expected, and the Super Tuscans that followed made Sassicaia and Ornellaia famous far beyond Italy. The area is compact: vineyards, the hilltop village of Castagneto Carducci and the beach are a short drive apart, so a morning tasting can end with lunch by the sea. Here is which estates take visitors in 2026, how to book them, a realistic itinerary and where to stay.

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The wines of Bolgheri in plain English

Bolgheri, in the comune of Castagneto Carducci (province of Livorno), is unusual for Tuscany because its reputation rests on Bordeaux grapes. If you have read Tuscany’s wine country at a glance, think of it as the coastal exception to the Chianti and Brunello story.

• Bolgheri DOC: according to the Bolgheri DOC consortium, the first rules were approved in 1983 and the red wines were recognised in 1994. A Bolgheri Rosso may be made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Cabernet Franc in any proportion, with up to 50% Syrah or Sangiovese and under 30% of other permitted varieties such as Petit Verdot. It must age for one year.
• Bolgheri Superiore: the same grapes, with two years of ageing, at least one in oak, and lower yields.
• Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC: a separate appellation since 2013, covering the wine of Tenuta San Guido. The rules require at least 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Cabernet Franc, and two years of ageing including at least 18 months in 225 litre barriques.
• Whites and rosé: Vermentino is the main white grape, sometimes blended with Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier. Rosato is now made mostly from the same international red varieties.

Expect structured, oak aged flagship reds and more approachable entry level Bolgheri Rosso. A partner who prefers lighter wines will usually find a Vermentino on the tasting list. For the national picture, see our complete guide to Italian wine regions.

Bolgheri wineries you can visit in 2026

All five estates below appear on the visit request form of the Bolgheri DOC consortium, which offers slots between 09:00 and 17:30 for one to six people; producers reply directly, so treat it as an enquiry, not a booking. None of them publishes 2026 prices, durations or languages on the official pages we checked, so check with the estate.

Ornellaia

Location: Località Ornellaia 191, in the Bolgheri part of Castagneto Carducci, about 10 minutes by car from Bolgheri village. Ornellaia was founded by Lodovico Antinori in 1981 and is now owned by the Frescobaldi family.

The visit: the estate lists five experiences. The Visit to the Winery covers the historic vineyards, the cellar with works from the Vendemmia d’Artista art project, the barrique cellar and the historic archive. The Ornellaia Vintage Experience adds a vertical tasting of several vintages. There is also an art tour, a picnic with Poggio alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia under an old oak, and a sunset wine dinner.

Booking rules: reserve on the estate’s website. The consortium lists Ornellaia as closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so plan a weekday. Sister estate Masseto is not open for visits.

Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori)

Location: Via Bolgherese km 3.9, Località San Walfredo, about five minutes from Bolgheri village. This is the Antinori family’s Bolgheri estate.

The visit: Antinori publishes two formats: a tour of the historic vineyards with a tasting in the estate’s wine shop, or a fuller winery and vineyard tour with a tasting of three Guado al Tasso wines. The wine shop also sells older vintages and large formats.

Food: Osteria del Tasso sits among the estate’s vines and serves traditional local dishes. Opening days are not published, so ask when you book.

Booking rules: Antinori states that all tours are personally customised and reservations are required.

Le Macchiole

Location: on the Bolgheri side of Castagneto Carducci, a few minutes from the village by car. The estate is run by Cinzia Merli, and its best known wines include Paleo, Messorio and Scrio.

The visit: Le Macchiole takes bookings for tours and experiences through its website, by phone or by email, with online booking handled by the Divinea Winesuite platform. Note any allergies when you book.

Grattamacco

Location: Località Lungagnano 129, on a hilltop at about 100 metres above sea level inland from Castagneto Carducci, roughly 20 minutes from Bolgheri village. The estate dates from 1977 and is part of the Colle Massari group, with vines among woodland and olive groves (our research turned up contradictory figures for the vineyard area, so we have left it out). The consortium lists the estate as closed on Sundays from April to October and on Saturdays and Sundays from November to March.

The visit: older published accounts describe a cellar visit and a tasting of the estate’s Vermentino and reds, but we found no current 2026 programme. Request a visit via the consortium form or the estate.

Tenuta Argentiera

Location: the southern end of the appellation near Donoratico, about 15 minutes from Bolgheri village. Its vineyards form a natural amphitheatre facing the sea, with around 85 hectares under vine.

The visit: at the time of writing, booking platforms showed no fixed experiences, only a request form where the estate decides whether it can host you. Treat it as visits on request.

A note on Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia)

The official Tenuta San Guido website offers no visitor programme, booking system or tasting room, and the estate is not on the consortium’s visit request form. Third party guides describe visits as rare and at the estate’s discretion, so do not drive up expecting a tasting. Enoteca San Guido, a restaurant and wine bar just off the cypress avenue, is open daily, but we could not confirm from official sources whether the estate runs it, so do not treat it as an estate visit. Ca’ Marcanda, the Gaja family’s Bolgheri estate, is not on the consortium list and we found no official visitor information, so we have left it out.

Bolgheri estates compared

A 3 day Bolgheri itinerary

Driving times below are typical outside peak traffic. Italy’s drink-drive limit is 0.5 g/l, and zero for drivers in their first three years and professional drivers, so book a private driver for tasting days. Our Italy travel planner covers transfers and car hire for the days you are not tasting.

Day 1: Arrival and the cypress avenue. Pisa airport to Bolgheri takes roughly an hour, Florence closer to two. Check in, then drive the Viale dei Cipressi, the double row of cypresses from the Oratorio di San Guido on the Via Aurelia to Bolgheri village, made famous by Carducci’s poem Davanti a San Guido and declared a national monument. Dinner in Bolgheri village.

Day 2: The Via Bolgherese. A morning tour at Guado al Tasso, lunch at Osteria del Tasso, then about ten minutes to Ornellaia for a weekday afternoon visit. Sunset in Castagneto Carducci, about 15 minutes uphill, looking over the vineyards to the sea.

Day 3: Hills and coast. Morning at Grattamacco or Le Macchiole, then the beach at Marina di Castagneto, or drive roughly 45 minutes south to Piombino for the Elba ferry. Our guide to Portoferraio on Elba makes a good next stop, and if you would rather see the coast from the water, read our best yacht spots along the Tuscany coast.

The Strada del Vino e dell’Olio Costa degli Etruschi

Bolgheri is the headline stop on the Strada del Vino e dell’Olio Costa degli Etruschi, the official wine and olive oil route of the Etruscan Coast. Visit Tuscany describes it as more than 150 km long, running from Montescudaio and the newer Terratico di Bibbona DOC in the north through Bolgheri and the Val di Cornia to Piombino and Elba, with an information office at San Guido. Use it to add olive oil producers or the village of Sassetta.

Best months, events and practical tips

• Spring (April to June): green vineyards, mild weather and a quieter coast.
• Summer (July and August): busy at the coast and hot in the vineyards. Book morning visits.
• Harvest (late August to early October): timing depends on the vintage and grape. Estates may offer fewer slots, so confirm well ahead.
• Events: Visit Tuscany lists Bolgheri Jazz, with performances paired with tastings at local wineries, as an annual September event, and the consortium runs its Bolgheri DiVino event. We could not confirm 2026 dates, so check the organisers before you plan around them.
• Shipping wine home: ask each estate whether it ships to your country; duty and rules vary, so confirm costs first.
• Dress: smart casual, flat shoes for vineyards and a light layer for cool cellars.
• Children: most estates do not publish a policy. Ask when you book.

If you are combining Bolgheri with inland Tuscany, it pairs well with Montalcino, about two hours away, for a clear contrast between coastal Cabernet and Sangiovese.

Where to stay for Bolgheri wine tours

Bolgheri itself is mostly agriturismi and guesthouses. These hotels suit a luxury stay, plus one coastal extension.

Tombolo Talasso & Beach Resort, Marina di Castagneto Carducci

The closest high end hotel to the vineyards sits on the beach at Marina di Castagneto, roughly 15 minutes by car from Bolgheri village and the Via Bolgherese estates. The draw is the thalasso spa with seawater pools, plus a private beach, restaurants and bars: a sensible base when one partner tastes and the other prefers the spa. Ask the hotel about winter opening.

Best for: combining wine days with beach and spa time.

Check rates at Tombolo Talasso & Beach Resort

Castello Bonaria Wine & Spa Resort, Campiglia Marittima

A small castle hotel with its own winery near Venturina, about 30 minutes south of Bolgheri by car. Booking platforms list 19 rooms, some with vineyard views, a spa, a pool and a restaurant serving regional cooking. The listed minimum check-in age is 18; ask the hotel about children. Baratti beach is about 20 minutes away.

Best for: couples who want an intimate, wine focused stay.

Check rates at Castello Bonaria Wine & Spa Resort

The Sense Experience Resort, Follonica

A larger resort with 112 rooms set in pinewood directly on the beach at Follonica, looking towards Elba. It has a private beach, a seasonal outdoor pool and several restaurants, including Eaté, a fine dining restaurant on the sand. Bolgheri is roughly 45 to 50 minutes away, so choose it when the beach is the priority.

Best for: a beach holiday with Bolgheri as a day trip.

Check rates at The Sense Experience Resort

Hotel Il Pellicano, Porto Ercole

Not a Bolgheri base: Porto Ercole on Monte Argentario is roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to the south. It is a natural place to end a coastal road trip after your wine days. The hotel is seasonal and closes in winter. Read our full Il Pellicano review for details.

Best for: a glamorous coastal finale after Bolgheri.

Check rates at Hotel Il Pellicano

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit Sassicaia at Tenuta San Guido?

Not in the usual way. The estate publishes no visitor programme or booking system and is not on the consortium’s visit request list. Visits are rare and at the estate’s discretion. You can drive the Viale dei Cipressi and order Sassicaia in local restaurants and wine bars instead.

How far ahead should I book Bolgheri wineries?

Two to four weeks is sensible, longer for summer and harvest. The major estates require reservations, and Ornellaia is closed at weekends.

How much does a tasting in Bolgheri cost?

The estates we cover do not publish 2026 prices on their official pages, so check with each estate. Verticals and food pairings naturally cost more than a standard tasting.

Is Bolgheri a good day trip from Florence?

It is possible, but the drive is close to two hours each way. If you only have a day, our best wine tours from Florence covers closer options. For Bolgheri, two nights on the coast is far more relaxed.